Chinese and Korean fugitives wanted for fraud arrested in Thailand

Immigration chief also says crackdowns continuing on nominees, fake registrations

Thai immigration police have arrested a Chinese man accused of a property fraud that caused losses of more than 200 million baht and a South Korean former football coach who had evaded arrest for more than 20 years.

The 33-year-old Chinese man, identified only as Mr Sun, was arrested in Si Sawat district of Kanchanaburi after police received complaints about a disturbance, Immigration Bureau commissioner Pol Lt Gen Noppasilp Poolsawat said on Thursday.

A check found that the Chinese suspect had overstayed his visa by 19 months. A biometric check showed he was wanted under an Interpol Red Notice in connection with a property fraud case in his home country.

He was accused of using forged documents to mortgage property and obtain loans, causing losses of 44 million yuan, or about 200 million baht. He fled to Thailand in August 2024, said Pol Lt Gen Noppasilp.

Football fraud

In the second case, officers arrested a 58-year-old South Korean man, identified only as Mr Lee, a former football coach wanted by the Seoul Northern District Court on fraud charges.

He had evaded arrest for more than 20 years after allegedly defrauding six victims by claiming he could secure their admission to South Korean football clubs. Each victim reportedly lost 10 million won, or about 250,000 baht.

Immigration officers said Mr Lee was believed to have continued his fraudulent activities since entering Thailand in 2004, reportedly attempting to deceive Thai football clubs. Authorities are expanding the investigation.

Nominee update

Pol Lt Gen Noppasilp said the Immigration Bureau, which marked its 99th anniversary on Thursday, was stepping up its crackdown on illegal foreign business groups and the use of Thai nominees to hold land and operate businesses on behalf of foreigners.

The bureau is conducting in-depth checks of corporate structures, financial transactions and ultimate beneficial owners, he said.

Investigators have carried out a series of crackdowns beginning with Koh Phangan, a southern tourist island where abuses were said to be widespread. The “Koh Phangan model” was subsequently applied over seven phases in major tourist and economic centres.

The operations have resulted in the seizure of 309 plots of land covering 217 rai, with a combined value of about 4.3 billion baht, Pol Lt Gen Noppasilp said.

The bureau is also stepping up action against illegal use of other people’s identities in official registrations and the unlawful issuance and use of identity cards, he added.